1858 Vietnam is annexed by Francer />
1887 Vietnam and Cambodia is ruled by France
1939-1941: Viet Minh seeks for independence
1945: The Viet Minh begins a war against French occupation with attacks in the North.
(declaration of independence - French offers only a free-state freedom)
1950: The USA begins to provide military and economic aid to the French in Indochina.
1954: The French are defeated. an agreement is signed, in October the Viet Minh take formal control over North Vietnam. ( Vietnam divided into North and South )
1956: A US military advisory group replaces French training of the South Vietnamese army.
1961: The (Communist) National Liberation Front (NLF) is formed in South Vietnam. US-President Kennedy sends special forces and military advisors to South Vietnam.
1963: In November, South Vietnam¡¦s president Diem is overthrown in a military coup. Kennedy is assassinated and Lyndon B. Johnson is sworn in.
1964: After an attack by North Vietnamese torpedo boats on two US destroyers, the US Congress enables the president in order to take revanche in a military way.
1965: Johnson increases US military forces. ("³1967 - US forces in Vietnam total 465.000.)
1969: US-President Nixon takes 25.000 US troops away from Vietnam, which called ¡§policy of Vietnamization¡¨.
1972: In August, US ground troops leave South Vietnam. The US Airforce rests in Vietnam ("³ bombs on Hanoi, Haiphong, harbours of North Vietnam)
1973: A cease-fire agreement is signed in Paris ( US-troops are taken away from Vietnam "³officially end of war.); BUT: the fights between North-V. and South-V. continue.
1975 After the capture of Saigon South-Vietnam capitulates.
1976 Proclamation of the Social Republic of Vietnam
Consequences
1963 "³In South-Vietnam approximately 15.000 american soldiers are deployed.
1964 "³The publication of documents about the development of the Vietnam-War reduces the credibility of the Johnson government.
1965 "³Mainly the young generation starts to demonstrate against the war.
1967 "³The maximum of the Anti-War-Movement is reached when more than 200.000 protesters walk towards the Pentagon.
1969 "³About 541,000 american soldiers fight in Vietnam.
1970 "³In may 6 students die during a demonstration.
1965 "³6.3 million tons of bombs were going down on Vietnam. In the Second World War
-1971 ca. 2.1 million tons of bombs went down on Africa, Asia and Europe.
1973 "³The War Powers Act becomes a law, to limit the power of the president.
1973 "³The United States support South-Vietnam with ca. 3 billion $.
-1974 "³A big imigration wave starts from South-Vietnam.
1975 "³The western countries (except Sweden) don¡¦t help to rebuild Vietnam.
CONCLUSION: The aim to limit the spread of Communism wasn¡¦t reached
Ca. 2.5 million people lost their lifes.
The war costs more than 185 billion $.
More than 50.000 veterans admit suicide after the war.
The dimension of human sorrow and the destruction of nature, culture and industry is undefinable.
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